Catholic Sensibility

Guest John asks for some advice in the thread below. Knowing I have a small number of musician readers, I thought I'd make his request an open one. So feel free to add comments below. The question is really two-fold: utilizing guitar and/or bass for performing music, and the appropriateness of said instruments for sacred music. First fold first: I confess up front I am not a strummer. That is, I don't employ mindless strumming when I play guitar at liturgy. In a small ensemble, two guitars are enough. A third player could think about getting and learning to play bass. Actually, if a group doesn't have a bass player (either electric or stand-up bass viol) guitar player number two could be encouraged in that regard. I use the organ as my model for building a proper guitar group or ensemble. Because the organ is a traditional instrument? Not really. Because the organ, when well played, serves as an ideal support for the singing voice. The bass or bass guitar serves the function of organ pedals, and a guitar group or ensemble without a bass (piano, or even the organ will do) is like the organist who plays only the manuals. By the way, many men feel uneasy singing with guitar groups, not because the music is pitched high (though that happens) but because without the lower register covered, they feel unsupported in their singing. Guys can hit those notes, but when they do they feel a bit naked. The guitar is analogous to the manuals on the organ. It supports women's voices well, and adds percussion (whether strummed or picked). It even works as a second instrument with the organ. Assuming the acoustics and sound reinforcement are ideal, an organist can cut back or eliminate the 4' stops, and let the guitar cover that. The organist will play 8' and 2' on the manuals and assuming the musicianship is in place, you'll get a very nice effect, not unlike the baroque string orchestra with harpsichord. While the organ and guitar are not necessarily consonant in style, they provide contrast, which can be well done and provide good interest for the listener and those singing along. I'm not a believer in altering repertoire to accommodate the guitar. A good guitarist will find much organ repertoire fits well with the instrument, hymns based on folk tunes come to mind. Guitar accompanies chant extremely well, when accompaniment is called for. Musicians need to take care that chording charts match the keyboard parts. Publishers seem to be lazy in producing arrangements that work both ways. (They should call me; I have about twenty in my office.) Second point: appropriateness for worship. I'm obviously going to say, "Yes, of course they are." The understanding is that the musicians are skilled and versatile, able to accompany and complement singing, not just tag along for the ride or expect others to hold on. Good guitarists can also function to lead singing by the playing of appropriate cues, sort of like what the solo stops on an organ would provide: indicators that stand out from the body of music, telling people when to enter in on the refrain or verse. That's about all I have at the moment. Any other suggestions?